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Hades looked one part distressed and two parts murderous, as did my other mates.
Eli blew out a long, slow breath that belayed his stress and anxiety. “I’ve never been so scared in my life, Love. Losing you, not knowing where you were or if we’d be able to get you back, aged me at least fifty bloody years.” He pulled me into his arms again and cupped my face, studying my eyes. Shaking his head, he sighed again. “I can tell you’re still coming off of something from your pupils alone. I’m not going to be able to rest until I get you on that plane, give you a proper exam, and make sure you’re going to be alright.”
“Eli,” I called softly. “I’m fine. I promise.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Dizzy. A little nauseous. Tired. Bleary. I think the adrenaline helped shake some of the haze, but everything still feels surreal. But as long as all of you are actually real… I swear I’m alright. I have you back. I don’t need anything else.”
“Oh, Love.” He crushed me to his chest, cupping my head and holding me close. He pressed kisses to my hairline while I listened to the steady beat of his heart, losing myself in the rhythm.
“I was terrified I’d lost you,” I told him, my words barely above a whisper.
He laughed, the sound wrung out and weary. “I was petrified, Demi. I’ve never been so panicked. My Alpha went positively feral without you. You’re mine, Love. Do you hear me?Mine. I’m going to ensure nothing and no one can ever take you from me again.”
It was an impossible promise to make, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. A tear slipped free, trailing down my cheek to soak his shirt.
“Demi?” The soft feminine voice cut through the night and I lifted my head to see Julia and a red-headed Omega leaning on each other as they stumbled our way with an exasperated Ronan and Slade following behind.
“Julia!” I breathed, pushing out of Eli’s hold and going to her. My men parted for me, reluctantly letting me go while staying close.
I wrapped her in a hug, being careful in case she was injured. We didn’t know each other at all, but we’d been through something that bonded us for life.
“Are you all right?” We both said it at the same time, then laughed lightly.
“Yeah.” Julia nodded slowly, like she was still taking stock of herself to make sure that single word was true. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
“If it wasn’t for you, we never would have been rescued. Thank you.” The red-headed Omega whose name I didn’t know reached for me and gave my forearm a squeeze. “I’m Adeline.”
“Demi,” I responded in kind, introducing myself.
“You saved our lives. I truly believe that.”
“No. That was all them,” I insisted, motioning toward the men. “I had no idea they were coming to our rescue. I mean, I hoped and prayed, but I felt just as bleak.”
“They came foryou,” Julia stated. “And thus we have you to thank.”
I flushed and ducked my head, unwilling to accept their praise when I had nothing to do with the reason we were still alive and belonged to ourselves rather than some vicious pack.
Lawson cleared his throat. “As much as I want to allow this little reunion to continue, it’s best if we get out of here before anyone catches our trail. We shook our tail, but some of the other buyers were on to us. It’s not safe to linger.”
“Lawson’s right, Sweetness. We need to move.” Jamison stepped to my side and held out his hand, not forcing me to take it, but waiting patiently.
I slid my palm into his and let him draw me close.
“Is that your plane?”
“It is.”
The breath whooshed from my lungs. I’d known he had money—or at least guessed as much—but having it confirmed was something else entirely. Money didn’t matter to me, but I was damn grateful for a way to get out of this godsforsaken city.
“Can Julia and Adeline come with us?”
“I wouldn’t dream of leaving them here where it’s unsafe.”
I knew as much about his character, but it was still a relief to hear. I felt bonded to these girls, and I wanted to see them safely back to whatever lives they’d had before they’d been taken. Or whatever lives they wanted if the ones they’d come from weren’t safe to go back to.
Speaking of lives to go back to…
